Russia Country Report

The Russian Federation is the largest country in the world by geographic area and a major world power. Its vast territory spans eleven time zones and both the European and Asian continents. It borders North Korea, China, and the Pacific Ocean in the east, the Caucasus to the south, and the European countries of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Belarus, and Ukraine to the west. The country's climate varies dramatically depending on geographic location, although most of inner Russia is classified as subarctic tundra. It is an authoritarian democracy. The President of the Russian Federation is Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who has been the country's most prominent political figure since Boris Yeltsin's resignation in 1999.

Russia’s military is involved in a large-scale military operation in Ukraine, which has incurred hefty Western travel and financial sanctions. After an initial occupation of Ukraine's northern, eastern, and southern regions, combat operations have shifted towards the east and south of Ukraine. Unclaimed Ukrainian airstrikes, artillery fire, and saboteur activity continue to impact Russia's border regions, including Kursk and Belgorod, where industrial and military facilities have been targeted; some civilian casualties have been reported. Heightened security measures have been implemented in regions bordering Ukraine, including Bryansk, Kursk, Belgorod, Voronezh, and Rostov.

Increasingly tough rounds of Western sanctions continue to impact Russia's economy following the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While Russia's economy contracted through 2022, structural reforms in the wake of previous rounds of sanctions have prevented economic collapse. However, further economic pressure is likely over the medium to long term. A large number of Western corporations have ceased all activity in the country. Western goods and foreign currency have become increasingly difficult to obtain.

Russia continues to pursue an aggressive foreign policy strategy, though influence throughout Eastern Europe, the Caucuses, and Central Asia appears to be declining. Nonetheless, Moscow continues to project military and economic power in these regions to further its own interests.

Conducting business in Russia remains complicated by the increased sanctions issued by the international community and the close nexus between political and business elites, which fosters pervasive corruption and can lead to sudden changes in the investment climate.

Most countries in Europe have closed their airspace to Russian aircraft, to which Russia responded with extensive reciprocal flight bans. Serbia and Turkey are the only exceptions to the closed-air policy and flight bans. The primary threats faced by foreign travelers are state-orchestrated monitoring, petty criminal activity, and road traffic accidents. While good infrastructure exists in most cities in western Russia, roads and telecommunication networks are often poorly developed in many rural areas in Siberia and the Caucasus. Travelers from countries that have joined sanctions against Russia may encounter additional difficulties when attempting to enter the country.

Sunni extremist activity in the North Caucasus remains an enduring source of instability. The state has achieved some success in reducing the threat from the separatist insurgency, but insurgent organizations retain the capability and intent to carry out terrorist attacks in the volatile region as well as in major cities such as Saint Petersburg, Moscow, and Volgograd. Rebel activity attacks and skirmishes with the military make travel to Chechnya, Ingushetia, and Dagestan particularly hazardous. Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict, Islamist militants have called for attacks on Russia’s major cities.

Russia faces a moderate security risk. Both violent and non-violent crime are a problem in many urban areas, and Westerners may be targeted by criminals in less-affluent locations due to their perceived wealth. The internal conflict risk is generally low, but separatist insurgencies in the North Caucasus continue to pose a localized threat. Most militant activity has been confined to the North Caucasus regions of Dagestan, Ingushetia, and Kabardino-Balkaria. While the external conflict risk is moderate, it is currently elevated in areas bordering Ukraine and in Moscow amid Russia's invasion of that country and Ukraine's retaliatory strikes and associated incursions into Russian territory. Radical Islamist militants linked to the Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda pose an increasing threat, and Sunni extremists have demonstrated their capacity to attack major cities like Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Attempted and completed terror attacks have increased in frequency in recent years. Unrest occurs periodically in major urban centers and is often linked to perceived state corruption and unpopular political and economic policies. Following the partial military mobilization announced in September 2022, protests erupted in major cities, and many potential recruits attempted to flee the country. Russian authorities are intolerant of dissent and frequently crack down on protests perceived to be oppositionist.

Most Western governments, including the US, the UK, EU member states, and Canada, continue to advise against travel to Russia and to depart when safe to do so.

No major concerns exist over air travel within Russia, however air travel to numerous foreign countries, including nearly all of Europe, is cut off due to sanctions resulting from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Road conditions are generally adequate in major cities, although driving can be hazardous in rural regions due to poorly-maintained infrastructure, inclement weather, and poor local driving standards.

Utilities are good: 70.6% of Russians have central water heating.

The ports are considered efficient. However, with the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, various ports are imposing new restrictions and regulations on vessels and port calls.

Cybercrime is a significant concern and foreigners may be specifically targeted by hackers and state actors.

The climate in Russia varies based on location due to its vast size, but is largely considered continental and subarctic. Extremes of cold are found across much of the north and east, which can pose a risk to travelers who are not prepared for the local climate. Inclement weather conditions may lead to travel and service disruptions. Severe rain and wind storms can periodically result in major power outages and localized threats to life. Conversely, extreme heat also periodically leads to wildfires during the summer months. Landmines and unexploded ordnance are widespread in rural areas of the North Caucasus.

There are no major health hazards for travelers in central and western Russia, although food and water should be treated with caution and standard vaccinations are recommended for travel. Outside of major cities, medical facilities are considered significantly poorer than in urban centers. Travelers in remote and rural areas should plan for potential medical evacuation.

Russia is a federal multi-party semi-presidential republic. The president is the head of state, while the Prime Minister is the head of government. The vast majority of executive power almost certainly rests with long-serving leader Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. Other government institutions such as the office of the president, prime minister, and the cabinet nominally exercise some executive power, while formal legislative power resides with the Federal Assembly (parliament), which consists of the Duma and Federation Council. However, in practice the Federal Assembly rarely opposes Putin and quickly approves Kremlin-led initiatives. The judiciary is nominally independent of the executive and the legislature but is widely regarded as corrupt and ultimately under the control of the Kremlin. Presidential elections take place once every six years, while Duma elections take place once every five years; Federation Council members are not directly elected.

Coalitions featuring a cross-section of political parties are not required to form the government, though ruling coalitions generally feature one or two junior partners. A government collapse has not previously been reported. State institutions are unreliable and ineffective, particularly outside of Moscow and Saint Petersburg.